1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dispensing closure which is adapted to be affixed to the exterior of the neck or finish portion of a bottle. More particularly, this invention relates to a dispensing closure which is provided with child-resistant opening characteristics. A dispensing closure according to the present invention may also be provided with tamper evident opening characteristics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,123 (S. M. Libit), which is assigned to the assignee of this application, discloses a dispensing closure in which a dispensing orifice in the top of the closure is selectively opened or closed by a pivotable stopper which is carried in a socket in the top of the closure. Tamper evident opening characteristics are imparted to the closure of this reference by forming the stopper in the space between the legs of a U-shaped flange which is integrally molded with the stopper and which must be removed from the stopper before the stopper can be pivoted to its opened condition. The closure of this reference is complex and expensive, and it is difficult to open during the initial opening thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,058 (A. P. Uhlig), which is also assigned to the assignee of this application, also discloses a one-piece child-resistant dispensing closure which has a dispensing orifice in the top of the closure that is selectively opened or closed by a pivotable member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,577 (J. Levey) discloses a dispensing closure which dispenses through a pivotable dispensing spout that is carried by the top of a closure, the dispensing spout being open for dispensing in a first position relative to the top of the closure and being closed to dispensing by the top of the closure in a second position relative to the top of the closure. Separate annular elements are provided to form a combination lock which prevents the movement of the dispensing spout to the dispensing position unless the annular elements are in proper orientation, but this construction is also complex and expensive, requiring separately formed annular elements for the proper operation thereof, and does not purport to have the characteristics needed to be tamper evident.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,884,392 (R. E. Hazard), 4,047,643 (R. E. Hazard) and 4,081,113 (R. E. Hazard) also disclose dispensing closures each of which dispenses through a pivotable dispensing spout, and while the closures of these references appear to have child-resistant opening characteristics, they do not appear to have tamper evident opening characteristics.